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Head to head · Prices checked Nov 7, 2026

Keychron Q5 Max vs Yunzii AL98Premium Build vs Value Pick

Choose the Keychron Q5 Max for its superior layout options and acoustic tuning, or the Yunzii AL98 for its larger battery and lower price.

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Quick verdict

Which one should you get?

Get the

Keychron Q5 Max

Premium Build

Build quality in the top 5% of 96% boards under $300.

If you want

  • Supports multiple ISO layouts (DE, Nordic, UK, SW) for international users.
  • Features multiple layers of acoustic foam (IXPE, PET, Latex) and a double-gasket design for sound tuning.
  • Available in both fully assembled and barebones kit configurations.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

Get the

Yunzii AL98

Value Pick

Build quality in the top 5% of 98% boards under $150.

If you want

  • Features a large 8000mAh battery for extended wireless use.
  • Generally available at a lower price point than the Keychron Q5 Max.
  • Includes hall effect switches, according to its listed features.

Rules this board out

  • South-facing LEDs. Shine-through legends stay dark, and some sculpted keycaps can clip the LED.
  • No ISO layout. ISO-DE, UK, and other ISO variants are not offered.
  • Compact full-size layout. The numpad is present, the gaps of a full-size board are not.

Bottom line

Your budget and specific needs dictate the choice here. The Keychron Q5 Max is the premium option, justified by its extensive layout support for global users and its meticulously engineered acoustic design for modders. The Yunzii AL98 is the value champion, offering core features like an aluminum case, wireless connectivity, and programmability, plus a much larger battery, at a more accessible price, albeit with fewer layout and tuning options.

What actually differs

The differences that matter

Skip the 40-row spec sheet. These are the specs that change how each board feels, sounds, and fits your desk.

Keychron Q5 Max

Yunzii AL98

  • Layout size

    96%

    98%

  • Battery

    4,000 mAh

    8,000 mAh

    A larger battery means fewer cables during the day

  • Switch options

    Clicky, Linear, Tactile

    Linear

  • Mount style

    Gasket Mount, PCB Mount, Plate Mount

    Gasket Mount

  • Knob

    Yes

    No

KeebFinder scores

How we score
  • Keychron Q5 Max
  • Yunzii AL98
Performance
81
80
Build quality
91
82
Productivity
97
89
Customizability
98
86
Portability
55
67

What they share

  • Connection: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
  • Hot-swappable
  • Max polling rate: 1,000 Hz
  • Case material: Aluminum
  • QMK
  • VIA
See every spec side by side

Best for

What will you mostly use it for?

The Keychron Q5 Max is the stronger choice for office work, programming, and modding, largely due to its support for multiple international layouts and its detailed acoustic construction. The Yunzii AL98 takes the lead for travel-focused users because of its substantially larger battery capacity. For gaming, the Q5 Max's vendor emphasis on its gaming performance gives it a slight edge, while content creators will find both models equally capable with their included multimedia knobs.

For gaming

Pick the Keychron Q5 Max

  • Both offer a 1000 Hz polling rate for low latency.
  • The Keychron Q5 Max vendor page specifically highlights its 1000 Hz polling rate for competitive gaming on its 2.4 GHz connection.
  • Both feature N-key rollover for accurate simultaneous key presses.

Full specs

Keychron Q5 Max vs Yunzii AL98 specs

Every tracked spec, side by side. Rows marked with a dot differ between the boards.

11 of 27 specs differ

Keychron Q5 Max

Yunzii AL98

Typing & switches

Switch options

Clicky, Linear, Tactile
Linear

Hot-swappable

Yes
Yes

Mount style

Gasket Mount, PCB Mount, Plate Mount
Gasket Mount

Sound dampening

Yes
Yes

Screw-in stabilizers

Yes
No

Layout

Layout size

96%
98%

Layout standard

ANSI, ISO, ISO-DE, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW, ISO-UK
ANSI

Ergonomics

Standard
Standard

Knob

Yes
No

Display

None
None

Media keys

Yes
No

Connectivity & battery

Connection

Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired
Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, Wired

Max polling rate

1,000 Hz
1,000 Hz

Battery

4,000 mAh
8,000 mAhBetter

USB-C

Yes
Yes

Build & materials

Case material

Aluminum
Aluminum

Plate material

Polycarbonate
—

Keycaps

PBT
PBT

Weight

2,215 g
2,175 g

Dimensions

23 x 145 x 408 mm
44 x 407 x 137 mm

Typing angle

5°
—

Backlight

RGB, south-facing
RGB, south-facing

Firmware & software

QMK

Yes
Yes

VIA

Yes
Yes

N-key rollover

Yes
Yes

Mac & Windows

Yes
Yes

Extras

Released

2023
2025

For EU buyers

ISO layouts by store

Which stores sell ISO-DE, UK, and the other regional layouts.

Keychron Q5 Max

  • Keychron

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-Nordic, ISO-SW

    In stockShips to you

  • Keychron (DE)

    ISO-DE, ISO-UK, ISO-SW

    In stockDoes not ship to you

Yunzii AL98

No ISO layout at the stores we track.

Where to buy

Compare prices

Live prices from the stores we track, cheapest in-stock offer first.

Prices in USD are converted to your currency and can change at any time. KeebFinder may earn a commission when you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Lowest price across stores, Amazon excluded.

Yunzii AL982 stores

FAQ

Keychron Q5 Max vs Yunzii AL98: your questions

The Yunzii AL98 has a larger 8000mAh battery compared to the Keychron Q5 Max's 4000mAh battery. The Yunzii vendor states this provides exceptional endurance for extended use, suggesting it will last longer between charges.

Yes. The Keychron Q5 Max includes Mac and Windows support. The vendor page notes it comes with an additional set of customized keycaps for both operating systems and a system toggle switch.

Yes. The Yunzii AL98 listing confirms it is a QMK/VIA programmable keyboard. This allows for remapping every key and creating advanced macros through compatible software.

The Keychron Q5 Max is explicitly designed for acoustic tuning. Its vendor description highlights a double-gasket design, a polycarbonate plate, and multiple foam layers (IXPE, PET, Latex) to reduce noise and improve the typing sound.

Yes. Both the Keychron Q5 Max and Yunzii AL98 feature hot-swappable PCBs. This allows you to change the mechanical switches without soldering, supporting both 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style switches.

The Keychron Q5 Max supports ANSI and multiple ISO layouts (German, Nordic, UK, Swiss). The Yunzii AL98, according to its specifications, is only listed with an ANSI layout, which may be a limitation for users outside North America.

Yes. Both are 98% (or 96%) layout keyboards, which incorporate a number pad into a compact form factor. The Yunzii AL98 vendor specifically calls it an 1800 layout with 101 keys.

They are very similar in weight. The Keychron Q5 Max weighs 2215 grams, and the Yunzii AL98 weighs 2175 grams. Both are heavy keyboards due to their full aluminum cases.

Yes. The Keychron Q5 Max is available as a barebones kit, which includes the keyboard PCB, aluminum case, and polycarbonate plate, but does not include keycaps or switches.

Based on the vendor listing, the Yunzii AL98 comes with a choice of pre-lubed linear switches: the YUNZII Milk V2 Linear Switch or the YUNZII Cocoa Cream V2 Linear Switch. It also lists Hall Effect as a feature.

Yes. Both the Keychron Q5 Max and Yunzii AL98 offer tri-mode connectivity. This includes a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle, Bluetooth, and a wired USB-C connection.

Both keyboards list knob support in their extra features. The Keychron Q5 Max vendor page shows knob versions in its configuration options, confirming its presence for media control.

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